No. 20 Yotes Power Past Two in Tacoma

Tacoma, Wash. - The No. 20 Yotes lacrosse team powered past Univ. of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran Univ. to extend the season to 5-0 during their first road trip of the season. This is the first time they have started 5-0 since 2022. The Yotes showed their class on Friday night defeating Puget Sound 26-2 before dismantling Pacific Lutheran 28-1 Saturday to cap the end of a very successful road trip.

College of Idaho Yotes 26, Puget Sound Loggers 2
The visitors found the hot hand early and often. Hosts Puget Sound couldn't find answers to prowess of the Yotes and the tenacity of their stifling defense.  Jordan Steele's double hat trick led the Yotes in goal scoring. Six of his eight shots converted into goals. Alex Ozuna also looked unstoppable. He had nine points on the night, scoring five goals and assisting on four others. Cameron Rudris had a career night. The freshman slung in five goals to disheart the Loggers. 

Defensively, the astute defense only allowed a pair of goals. The defense battled hard forcing turnovers and capitalizing on errors by the Loggers. Lanson Drain grabbed seven loose balls and had a high face off winning percentage to keep the ball for the Yotes. David Alvarado and Max Anderson both grabbed five ground balls. Jacob Wong stood tall in net ensuring Yotes' domination.

College of Idaho Yotes 28, Pacific Lutheran Lutes 1
While a new day came, the same story was told. The Yotes dominated the Lutes from the beginning and took a 14 goal lead at the end of the first quarter. The hard pressing defense only allowed five shots all game. Jacob Wong, Cayden Scott, Boston Brandt, and Xavier Street all defended the net for the Yotes but only two of them faced a shot on target.

Lanson Drain was a menace on faceoffs. He won 25 out of his 27 faceoffs to suffocate the Lutes from even getting the ball.  Drain also led the Yotes with 10 ground balls. Benjamin Milory and Chris Niemann also reflected the Yotes' tenacity grabbing seven loose balls a piece.  

The Yotes offense was nothing to trifle with either. Jordan Steele, Cameron Rudis, Grayson Flatten, Alex Ozuna, Lanson Drain, Paul O'Neill, David Alvarado, Wyatt Neu, and Hunter Duran all found the back of the net. Steele again led the Yotes with seven goals. Cameron Rudis, Grayson Flatten, and Alex Ozuna all scored four times. Alex Ozuna (4 goals, 4 assists) and Jordan Steele (7 goals, 1 assist) led the Yotes with eight points. Grayson Flatten tallied seven points by adding three assists to his four goal tally.

The College of Idaho will take another road trip next weekend to take on Western Washington Univ. on March 14th in Bellingham Wash. Game start is scheduled for 4pm MT.